


The Hunted

by Ghuleh28



Category: Ghost (Sweden Band)
Genre: Blood Drinking, Blood and Gore, Bondage, Choking, Dracopia, F/M, Kidnapping, M/M, Menstrual Sex, Multi, Oral Sex, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rituals, Song Lyrics, Spanking, Vampire Turning, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-01-07 05:13:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 18
Words: 21,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18403808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghuleh28/pseuds/Ghuleh28
Summary: Zenith and her friend find a new hiking trail to explore, which explicitly warned to stay on the marked paths. They soon fall into a trap that changes their lives forever; unaware of who was lurking in the shadows waiting for his next victims.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so this is really dark and fucked up and I sincerely apologize. I was inspired by a sick vampire pic of Copia I saw online recently and just went with it.  
> TRIGGER WARNINGS  
> this story contains rape, menstrual sex, a minor character death, blood consumption and mentions of reproductive diseases in women. Please do not read if any of this bothers you!
> 
> Otherwise I hope it doesn't totally suck. I hope you enjoy reading it!
> 
> I'm sorry if some of the chapters are really short!

"No, please.... you don't have to do this..." the young man begged; her eyes appearing emotionless as she gave a wicked grin, exposing her fangs. Backed against the wall, she leaned her face to his. 

"But sweetheart, I actually do. I'm so fucking hungry. You are just what I need..." she said, salivating. Without hesitation she plunged her teeth into his neck, his screams sending chills of excitement through her. 

As she consumed his blood, she could feel the energy flowing through her body. Her lust for blood became insatiable. His cries became mere gasps as she drained the life out of him. She retracted her teeth from his neck and stepped back as his body hit the ground. She wiped the blood from around her mouth, feeling satisfied. 

He appeared behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder, kissing her cheek. He took a few licks of blood that had splattered on her face. "I'm so proud of you, ghuleh," he purred.

\---------------

I was not always a malicious vampire killing machine. I used to be a "normal" woman, who one day made a grave mistake that would change my life for the rest of my existence.

I guess the term "normal" can be used loosely here. Since a young age I had always been fascinated by "the evils" as my mother called it. I loved horror and metal, was fascinated by Halloween and witchcraft, studied the paranormal, and even had my own ouija board that I used a few times. 

I'll save sharing the ouija experiences for another day. Shit is freaky as hell. 

As much as I loved the darkness, I did find much enjoyment in spending my time outdoors, especially going on long hikes through the woods. I found it to be extremely peaceful and calming, listening to the sounds of nature to drown out everything else around me. It helped me forget my problems. I tried to explore different parks and trails, because every place gave a different experience. 

On the day that everything changed, I took a drive with a good friend to a popular state park he had recommended. I liked him...a lot, and I always hoped he liked me, too. Historically I had always been too afraid to bring it up; I didn't want to ruin our friendship and make it awkward if he didn't like me back. 

It was a cool, calm day in early fall - my favorite time of year. This was the best time for hiking, as it wasn't too hot or too cold. The park was large and had so many beautiful trees. I was excited for this hike with James. I had planned on asking him out afterwards, if my nerves allowed me to do so. 

He went on about the beautiful foliage was this time of year and how everything seemed to come to life. I was also told that the trails weren't very long. I couldn't walk as far as I normally would, so hearing that the trails were shorter was a relief. I had started my period the day before, and I have endometriosis, so my cramps literally make me want to die and often leave me bedridden. I still felt like hell, but keeping active during that time of the month actually helped me feel better. I found that for me, lying on the couch all day made me feel much worse.

We parked the car and found the entrance to the trails. All I brought with me were my car keys, cell phone and earbuds, as I often enjoyed listening to music while I walked. 

At the entrance to the trails there was a large sign that read, "WARNING: do not stray from marked trail paths. The park is not responsible for any incidents if hikers refuse to follow posted rules." We assumed that meant the rest of the grounds had not been regularly maintained for hiker safely.

"Are you sure these trails are safe?" I asked him, jokingly. The warning made me a bit nervous. 

"Relax, Zenith, it'll be fine. I have heard that as long as you follow the signs you're good!" he assured me. 

Despite my hesitation, I started with him on our hike.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An innocent hike becomes a fight for survival.

My friend was right. The trees were some of the most beautiful I had ever seen. They were very old; the roots sticking out of the ground in some places wound around each other in beautiful waves and braids. Some leaves were beginning to fall. Most of them were still wet on the ground at this time but I came across a few crunchy ones, which were my favorite. The air smelled...delicious...I inhaled deeply to appreciate the smell of tree sap, leaves and early fall air.

As we walked, we came across a fork in the paths. Previously any deviations in the trails had been clearly marked with signs directing which way to go, but there was nothing here. I became nervous, thinking again about the warning at the trail entrance.

"Shit, what do we do, James?" I said.

"Both ways look almost the same from what I can see. Maybe they both go around in a half- circle, and they meet as one on the other side?" he guessed.

"Yes that must be it!" I said in agreement with him. I chose to head to the left. He didn't protest my decision.

What neither of us noticed then was that there had been a sign...that was somehow ripped out of the ground entirely and thrown into some deep bushes. You could tell it had been intentionally ripped out.

The sign instructed hikers to keep right to stay on the path.

We walked quietly together, making small talk here and there but mostly walking in silence to enjoy nature's beauty. I put one of my earbuds in to listen to music, but as to not ignore him if he spoke to me. I shuffled through my Avatar playlist, listening to "Hail the Apocalypse," my favorite album. "Bloody Angel" came on as I sang along in my head.

I felt a wave of uncertainty come over me all of a sudden. I stopped, pulling out one earbud to look around. It took James a few seconds before he realized I had stopped.

"Is something wrong?" he asked. He was very caring and knew about my condition, so he was always asking me if I was ok.

"I don't know....I can't help but feel like something isn't right, almost as if someone is following us. Don't you feel it?"  
He shook his head.

Silence.

"I guess i'm just paranoid!" I said as he giggled. I returned to my music, but we walked a little closer together.

A few minutes passed and I felt a cold breeze, then heard a thud. We both stopped dead and looked at each other. It sounded like something had fallen out of a tree or something. Again, we looked around but saw nothing.

Shakily, I called out, "Hello?" There was no response.

My anxiety started to rise as we still hadn't come around to meet that other trail.

"Don't you think it's weird that we are still walking? If that fork was a roundabout around the tree, we should be at the other side by now..." I said to him.

"I agree, it is weird. It's getting so dark, Zenith," he said nervously.

I prayed that I had taken us the right way.

We quickened our pace as we power walked down the path. If I didnt know any better, I'd say it almost seemed as if we were getting deeper into the woods instead of approaching the exit.

I heard a deep, low chuckling.

"What the fuck was that?!" I exclaimed.

James looked at me, shakily. "That...w-wasnt you?" I shook my head.

I didn't know what to do. Where was this trail taking us? Should we continue to go forward, or should we try to go back to where we entered? We decided to press on, praying we'd find the end soon.

We sure found it, alright. Just not the end I was looking for.

I was rounding a corner past a wide tree, with James following slightly behind when a man popped his head around the tree trunk, looking at me.

"James!" I exclaimed. He quickly looked up and also noticed the man watching me.

The man's features were striking: he had short black hair, a pale face, and an unbelievable pair of mismatched eyes. One was a vibrant green, the other a sharp white. Wide black circles surrounded his eyes. He wore an extremely form-fitting black suit with a red and black cape. Admittedly he was quite handsome.

"Who are you?" I asked timidly. He did not respond initially. Instead he just stared at me. I could feel his eyes looking up and down my body, studying my curves. I blushed for a moment until my gut snapped me back to reality, telling me we needed to get the fuck out of there.

"I am Cardinal Copia," I heard him mumble. "Are you in heat, my dear?" My stomach churned. I looked over at James; my eyes widening with fear.

"Fuck this!" James yelled, grabbing my hand. We sprinted quickly, darting past him as we ran even deeper into the thick woods. I heard panting and growling catching up behind us, so I yanked on my friend's arm and deviated our escape route. We dove into some bushes.

"You cannot hide in the darkness..." the voice sang.

My breathing became frantic. I could barely see in front of me. It got dark so fast. I could hear James breathing heavily. We crawled through a small creek to stay low. I scraped my leg on a rock underneath the water. I clenched my teeth, trying not to make any sounds. I could feel blood oozing from my leg but I had to keep going. My cramps were unbearable at this point as my uterus contracted heavily from the stress. I just wanted to see the light.

"You never want me to appear..." I heard the voice sing. It was closer.

James and I stood up and ran through a heavily wooded path. It was hard to keep my eyes looking forward without tripping on anything.

"Zenith, take my hand so I don't lose you!" he whispered to me. I reached out and held onto him for dear life.

I widened my steps, taking short rapid breaths. My legs were so tired, but I heard a few leaves crunching not far behind. The woods were never ending. Were we lost, or just running in a big circle?

Tears began to stream down my face as I began to lose hope that we were getting out of here alive.

"James, I know this isn't a good time but in case something happens, I want you to know that I've liked you for a long time but I was always too chicken to ask you out..." I said, panting between breaths.

He squeezed my hand a little tighter. I could tell he was trying to keep me calm.

"Well, how about next week we go see that horror film that you were telling me about? As a date."

"I would love that."

I looked around for some type of clearing. Far, far ahead I saw a huge structure, possibly a mansion or a church. We started running toward it.

As I was running, almost as if it had a mind of its own, a thick, braided tree root stood up off the ground high enough to trip me as I stepped over it. I watched in disbelief as I saw the root start to wrap up and around my leg.

"Oh god, no. NO! Fuck!" I cried out. I yanked my leg with all my might to pull away from the vine, but it had a tight grip on my leg. I was fucking trapped, yet still I thrashed my body and tried desperately to get away.

James ran back to me to help. "No, please, James, let me go, I'll be ok, you keep going to find us some help!!" My cries to him were desperate. He did not listen.

"Are you crazy?! I'm not going to leave you here with fucking possessed trees!" He clawed at the root, trying to free my leg.

Someone showed up behind him, towering over us. It was him. I screamed to warn James, but it was too late. He picked him up by his neck, slamming his body into the trunk of the tree, knocking him unconscious.

"Please don't hurt him! I took us on the wrong path!" I cried. Again he said nothing. He turned to face me, staring into my eyes.

"Please, don't hurt us. You can take whatever you want, please, I swear on my life I won't tell anyone anything. Neither will he. Just please let us go...." I begged.

Between my adrenaline skyrocketing and my cramps essentially ripping out my insides, I couldn't breathe.

He traced his fingers over my neck, stopping to feel the bounding pulse of my jugular vein. I felt him run his nails over it. He then ran his fingers down the side of my face, extending his claws, digging downward slices into my skin from the side of my eye. I cried at the pain as I realized he had drawn blood. He leaned in to lick the streaking blood off my face, singing: "I am the one who preys on weak...I am the one lascivious..."

What the fuck.

I swung my arms at him, pathetically trying to hit him. I missed. He pushed me back hard and I hit my head on a large rock. A wave of dizziness came over me as my vision blurred and I could no longer see him or James. I felt my mind slip away, falling unconscious. I was fucked.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zenith awakens to her own hell, with many questions unanswered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so this chapter could be triggering to some, so please be forewarned!

When I awoke, I was alone. 

My entire body was sore, especially my head. My eyes fluttered to adjust to the light, or lack thereof. The only lighting in the room was a candle casting a faint glow in the corner. 

My body was so cold...the floor was concrete, like that of a basement. My clothes were wet from crawling through the creek. Once I became more aware I realized that my hands were bound, suspended above me by chains from the ceiling so I was standing. 

I attempted to call out James' name for help, taking notice of the gag in my mouth as it muffled my cries. I writhed at the chains biting into my skin. Feeling hopeless, I began to sob. My mind darted all over the place. 

Why the fuck was this happening? I don't wanna end like this. What happened to James?

I gasped when I felt sharp claws dig into my back as someone appeared out of nowhere. 

"Ahh, you're awake. I hope you're comfortable, ghuleh, you're going to be here for a while." 

I remained silent, holding back my tears.

He roughly yanked my hair back, causing me to cry out. "I asked you a question! I asked if you were nice and comfortable, now are you?!" 

Was he fucking kidding me? Again I did not respond, not even so much as a nod of my head. Clearly he was aware of my discomfort. 

He came around to the front and slapped me across my face; the blood crusted scratches by my eye stinging from impact. I let out a mere whimper. 

"You are very defiant, aren't you? First you disobey the trail warnings, then you dare to blatantly ignore me. You will pay for your insolence."

I wanted so badly to explain to him that we had not done anything malicious, but I couldn't. There had not been a sign at that fork in the path. We had to make a choice. I was not a troublemaker. My whole life I was always the girl that did as she was told. I never went against anyone...

He drew his fingers over my shoulder, hooking his index finger in the neck of my t-shirt as he quickly brought his hand down my front, tearing my shirt to pieces. I writhed. He slipped his fingers in the waistband of my yoga pants, pulling them down quickly. I smelled blood. My blood. Fuck. I was still bleeding like a mother...my aching uterus didn't have to tell me twice. I had bled through my pad pretty badly...ugh. How humiliating.

He moaned lightly as he took in the sight of me, bound and gagged in front of him in only my bra and blood-soaked panties. He ran his fingers up my inner thigh and brought them to his lips, licking them clean. 

"I fucking knew you were in heat, bitch." he laughed. I felt humiliated. "I made a good choice; you are so delicious."

"Please don't do this," I whined, my words muffled. Tears fell to the floor as he brought a gloved hand up to my cheek. The cool leather on my scratched face felt soothing, and for a brief moment I thought maybe he would show some compassion...I was severely mistaken. 

"Oh but I have to, ghuleh. You are all mine now, and soon you'll be just like me. I just want to play with you for a while." My eyes widened. 

He tore off his gloves and used his claws to cut off my bra. He then slid down in front of me to kneel, his hands running up and down my thighs. He pulled my blood soaked panties off and I started to cry, pleading "no" the best I could. I didn't want it this way. 

"Shut up!" he ordered. He slapped my ass as he pushed my legs apart. I faltered slightly, trying not to lose my balance and hurt myself. 

Without another word he brought his face to my sex, inhaling the strong scent of blood before he plunged his tongue deep inside me. I screamed even harder, begging him to stop. My cunt was so sensitive and it was reacting appropriately, but I didn't want it to. I thrashed my upper body around as my hands were being torn up from the chains digging into me.

He sucked on my clit and when he nipped at it I let out an involuntary moan. This couldn't be happening. I was crying, praying to wake up from this nightmare any second. I could feel his tongue greedily lapping up the blood. I felt even more disgusted. 

I could feel my orgasm building up inside me as his tongue devoured me. My body betrayed me as my moans became louder. I had to stop this. 

Somehow I got the strength to gain enough stamina to knee him in the stomach. Quickly realizing I made another mistake, my cries became desperate. He pulled himself from my cunt as he roared in pain. 

He stood up, and there was blood smeared all around his mouth as his eyes grew wide. "You're going to wish you hadn't done that, you fucking bitch," he growled, clutching his stomach. 

He lunged forward and grabbed my neck tightly, boring his eyes into mine as he squeezed my throat. There was no way to escape his glare. I wriggled in his grasp as I fought to breathe. 

"I love the smell of fear...it makes your blood taste so much sweeter. You're going to fucking love me by the time I'm done with you," he said, once more swiping his fingers over my sex to collect some fresh blood, consuming it. 

"Fuck yes," he groaned as he licked his fingers clean.

His actions...it was almost as if he were...a vampire. That's when it hit me. FUCK. It didn't make sense though...if he was so desperate for a feast, why was he keeping me alive? 

Another burning question still bored in my mind: where was my friend, James? I prayed that he was alive and ok.

He grabbed my hair and pulled it so I was looking directly into his mismatched eyes. 

"Thanks for the meal, cunt, I see there's plenty more where that came from. I have to go tend to a few things. I'll be back later to teach you a lesson." 

He had left the candle lit; its light allowing me to keep the only faint glint of hope I had left. 

I needed so badly to rest but my predicament wouldn't allow it. What kind of sick game was he playing with me?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zenith realizes the kind of monster she is dealing with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, trigger warning for rape.

I don't know how much time passed before he returned; was it hours, days, minutes? Every second felt like an eternity of uncertainty.

I finally heard wooden steps creaking as someone descended down them until the door unlocked and creaked open. I remained silent. 

"Have you thought about what you've done? How much trouble you've caused me? If you just let me do this maybe by now you'd be enjoying yourself, too."

I hung my head. It wasn't even worth paying attention to this rambling of his. It made no fucking sense. If I was that much of a burden he should've killed me in the first place. If I were able to talk I probably would have said something really shitty. 

I buried my face in my arm as he came around the front. I peeked at him. His outfit had changed. He was now wearing an all white suit, with a walking cane in one hand. There was a serpent's head on the handle. He then walked behind me, talking directly into my ear.

"You will acknowledge me when I speak to you. When you are finally granted permission to speak you will address me as 'Master' or 'Cardinal.' You are mine, and you will do as I say. Do I make myself clear?"

I grunted. 

"Now are you ready for your punishment?"

I mumbled a small "mm-hmm" to avoid any more trouble. I figured it was safer to not fight him right now. 

It was then that I felt the first crack of his cane on my ass. I let out a muffled cry. It fucking hurt. The blows kept coming, and my legs felt like they were giving out. Tears welled up in my eyes. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of me screaming, but after a while I failed at that. 

By the last strike, I was seeing stars. 

My ass was throbbing, and my inner thighs were wet - I felt so numb down there I couldn't tell if I had pissed myself or if it was menstrual bleeding. He fingered my cunt, tasting it. I groaned. 

"Oh my, already you're soaking wet for me. Did your punishment really make you THAT wet? Goddamn, you little slut!" he teased. I was so embarrassed. 

He quickly fiddled with the chains holding my hands and I felt their grip release. I fell to the ground, groaning loudly. My body felt too weak to get up.

He scooped me up in his arms and carried me over to a cot in the corner. He lay me down on it, grabbing some rope to tie my wrists together, securing them to the headboard. He lay his body on top of me, still fully clothed. He massaged my breasts, sucking on my nipples as I writhed under him. I felt his teeth grazing my skin, and I felt small trickles of blood escape the scratches. I could feel the growing erection in his pants rubbing on my lower abdomen.

He quickly undressed himself, his rather large cock springing free from his pants. Jumping onto me, he spread my legs apart as he thrust himself into me. My back arched as I cried out. His size was considerably more than I could handle. His pace was rough. 

"No, God...please..." I mumbled. 

"There is no God here, sweetheart," he said.

My cries turned into deep moans as pleasure enveloped my body. I felt so ashamed. 

He gripped my hips tightly as he thrust himself into me as deep as he could go. I let out a muffled scream as I orgasmed, shuddering around his cock. He fisted my hair, pulling hard as I felt him come inside me. He milked his cock as he softened, pulling out of me. He groaned as he looked at his blood covered dick. 

"I'm so hungry for you...but no, I must wait a little longer. I just need a little taste..." he growled as he reached up and bit my wrist hard. 

I yelped as I felt the blood begin to flow from the bite, and he began sucking. He moaned as he consumed it. I looked at him from the side of my eye. He looked terrifying as he sucked on the wound ravenously. 

A few minutes passed and I started to feel lightheaded. He seemed to have a really hard time pulling himself from my wrist, sighing happily after his snack.

"Fuck you," I growled, my words muffled. 

"You're supposed to be fucking quiet! But, since you asked..." he purred as he jumped on me, turning me onto my stomach and lifting my ass up. He fucked me from behind. I cried and moaned as he pounded my cunt until he sent me into another intense orgasm, teasing my clit to make me come. I just wanted to crawl into a hole. I had no control over it. 

Once he finished inside me, he quickly dressed and left, uttering not a word and leaving me in a fucking mess of bodily fluids tied to this now filthy cot. I needed a shower so badly. 

I managed to turn onto my side, facing the wall. I completely broke down. If he was going to kill me I hoped it would be soon. 

I cried until I didn't have any tears left.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zenith finds comfort from the kind touch of an unexpected visitor.

A short while later, I heard the stairs creaking and the door open and close. I dreaded seeing him again. 

I was in so much pain. I was not used to (rough) sex and my endometriosis made intercourse painful. I was hoping he'd had his fill and would just leave me alone. 

Someone had slipped in very quietly, not announcing their presence. I assumed he thought I was sleeping. 

I felt a warm hand rest on my hip, but it wasn't his. I jumped, wondering who this hand belonged to. 

"It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you." 

I rolled over just enough to look at the stranger: he was tall, thin and dressed in all black, wearing a silver horned mask. 

"You can call me 'Ghoul.' The Cardinal has given me permission to untie you to clean you up. I can remove your gag but you have to promise you're going to be quiet." 

I nodded. 

He gently untied the knot of the gag behind my head and pulled it from my mouth. He then untied my wrists and let my arms relax. I let out a sigh of relief. 

"You can get up if you want." 

I rolled over and went to stand but my legs were like jelly. I slid down onto the floor, hanging onto the side of the headboard. "My legs are too weak to stand right now..." I said hoarsely. 

He began pulling the soiled sheets off the bed to change them as I sat there quietly. I rested my head on the side of the bed, fucking exhausted, trying to collect my thoughts. 

Sitting on the concrete floor made my ass hurt, still sore from being caned. It was humiliating looking the way I did bare-ass naked in front of this masked stranger. 

I watched as he cleaned up and changed the bedding. Who was he and why was he being nice to me?

"Why won't you just kill me...?" I asked him. 

"I'm sorry, but I cannot do that. The Cardinal said you are too valuable and must be kept alive," he said, not showing much emotion. 

"'Valuable?' If I'm so valuable why has he kept me tied up like a prisoner in this hellhole? Not to mention he fucking raped me...more than once!" I said, raising my voice out of anger. "I haven't fucking eaten got to go to the bathroom or anything!"

"Watch your mouth, or I'll have no choice but to silence you again," he warned. 

"Where is my friend, James? Please tell me he's alive, too..." I said, more calm this time. 

The masked ghoul stared briefly at me, then looked down, saying nothing. 

Tears fell from my eyes as I buried my face in my knees. I was sick with grief but I think deep down I knew all along. 

Goddamn it. It...was my fault. He was dead because of me!!! If that tree hadn't grabbed my leg...if he hadn't stopped to help me escape, he'd probably still be alive. 

It. Was. My. Fucking. Fault. 

I sat on the cold floor for a long time, shaking and crying hysterically while Ghoul sat at a distance and watched. I could barely see his eyes in the dark room; if he was showing any emotion you wouldn't have been able to tell. 

Some time passed before he spoke. 

"Well, I did bring some food and drink for you. And I can help you to the bathroom..."

"Well, you're going to have to carry me." 

He picked me up and carried me to the bathroom. I went in alone and locked the door. I didn't trust him. I avoided the mirror as I'm sure I looked like I'd just emerged from the grave.

I used the toilet, then dragged myself into the shower, washing the shame from between my legs and the sweat and blood from everywhere else. I whined as my bites and wounds stung from the soap running over them. My long hair was full of knots and tangles. 

I really would have appreciated a tampon or a pad or something, but apparently my bleeding cunt was like filet mignon around here. It was sick. This whole thing was fucking sick. 

I opened the door when I was done and he carried me back to the clean cot. He sat the tray of food on my lap. I drank the water in seconds but didn't touch the food. 

"You need to eat, and that's an order," he said. 

"I'm not hungry..." I said. That was clearly a lie, but I felt physically ill from everything that had happened. How could one eat at a time like this?

He sat on the cot next to me. "Please. I went through a lot of trouble to make this. Don't make me force feed you."

"Can you please just leave it down here?? I'l try to work on it later."

"Sure. I do have to go now, so I will have to tie you up again...just for now. If you promise you'll be quiet I will not gag you. 

"You're so kind," I said sarcastically. 

"Your mouth is going to get you in serious trouble with him. You better watch yourself," he said as he looked at me sharply. He ordered my hands behind my back, tying them tightly.

"Someone will check on you sometime later. I'll be listening. If you pull anything funny I'll see to it that you are properly punished." 

I thanked him for his help, sitting on the side of the bed. With my hands bound, I would have had to eat like a dog if I was going to finish the food sitting on the tray next to me. I decided to force myself to eat, so I wouldn't be punished. 

The food was ok...cold, but at least it was nourishment. 

After I finished I finally managed to lie down and fall asleep for a while. My dreams were plagued with nightmares. 

I kept seeing the unmarked fork in the path and James being picked up and slammed into the tree. My mind kept playing different scenarios of how they could have killed him, with the horrific image in my mind of the Cardinal's face from earlier while he voraciously consumed my blood. I couldn't push the thoughts away. I could hear James screaming in agony as the sound reverberated in my mind.

I then imagined the Cardinal taking me by the neck, biting hard, sucking the life out of me as everything faded. I was awoken by someone shaking me.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zenith confronts the Cardinal, but not without repercussions.

"Wake up, girl, come on, stop screaming!" 

I jumped out of my sleep to see the silver mask staring me in the face. I writhed on the cot, desperately trying to feel my neck with my hands, but then I remembered my hands were tied. 

"Is my neck bleeding?!" I asked him. He placed a hand on my cheek. 

"No, you're fine, it was just a dream. Please calm down." 

I broke down crying. "I demand to speak with the Cardinal and have him explain to me what the fuck is going on! I want to know what he did to my friend! And I want to know what he plans to do with me!!!" I gasped through tears. 

"Oh, I don't think you want me to tell him that...." the Ghoul warned. 

That was when the door opened abruptly. The two of us looked over to see the Cardinal's shadow in the doorway. Again, his outfit had changed. He now donned a large, flowing red cassock and biretta, looking more like a catholic figure than a vampire. 

"What is she doing down here making all the fucking commotion?! I knew I couldn't trust her to be quiet."

"Master Copia, I'm sorry, she was having a nightmare and I was trying to calm her. Then she requested to speak with you," the ghoul said.

"So I heard. Ghoul, please take care of her bratty mouth."

"No!" I protested loudly. "Please, just tell me...what did you do to my friend?"

"Don't worry, I took good care of him. He was so concerned about you. So cute. So stupid. What a fucking mistake. Don't worry, I made sure it was nice and slow for him!" he laughed.

My heart swelled with anger. "Why don't you just kill me, too?" I asked, almost pleading him at this point.

"Oh no, ghuleh. You have much more to offer....what a waste it would be to kill you. Once the ritualistic preparations are done you will be ready...it will be time soon. Then you'll find out what you need to know."

"And if I refuse?" 

"You do not have a choice. Are you telling me you aren't having a good time? I figured you'd enjoy me playing with you and keeping you occupied during your time down here..." he said slyly. 

"You motherfucker...yeah, I've always wanted to be kidnapped and tortured, thank you. I totally wanted my friend to be murdered. ... I fucking hate you!" I cried. 

He slapped me hard across my face. "You will not talk to me that way, goddamn it!" 

Turning to Ghoul, a wicked smile grew on his face. "Ghoul, please get her up. I think she needs to be taught a lesson on respect," he said.

Ghoul yanked me off the bed, forcing me to my knees. He held me down, pressing on my shoulders as the Cardinal approached me, already drawing back his robes, freeing his leaking cock. I knew what he wanted me to do. 

"This is your chance to make your Cardinal proud. Show me that you can be an obedient little slut and maybe I'll reward you. Let me warn you: if you use your teeth, you will regret it."

At first I hesitated. Again I started crying. He put his cock up to my lips as Ghoul shoved me forward. I almost lost my balance and fell face first into the Cardinal. 

"Open your mouth, now. Make this count," he growled. 

I opened my mouth and wrapped my tongue around his head, tasting him and massaging the sensitize skin underneath. He hissed in response and dug his claws into my back, just between my shoulders. I began to take his cock deeper into my mouth, licking around him and repeatedly pulling him out of my mouth with a "pop" as I sucked. 

He placed his hand on the back of my head and forcefully pushed his length deep into my throat. I gagged slightly but focused on my breathing to avoid gagging again, trying to please him well. He was grunting and speaking in another language as he fucked my mouth. I stuck my tongue out slightly so I could take as much of his length as possible. 

I bobbed my head back and forth, giving long strokes of pleasure as he cried out. His hips thrust hard along with my movements, going faster than I could in my position. With every thrust, his cock went deeper into my throat. I never heard a man moan like he did. His cock began to twitch and soon I felt his hot seed hit the back of my throat. I milked him slowly with my tongue as he pulled out, swallowing the rest of his cum. He knelt on the floor, catching himself on the bed frame. 

"Goddamn, what a good girl you can be. I think you earned a reward for that later. More importantly, did you learn your lesson?"

I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. "Yes, Master, thank you."

He leaned into me, kneeling inches from me. He raised his hand to my face. I gasped and turned my head quickly, expecting to be smacked again, but instead he gently grabbed my face and turned it towards him.

He licked the cum and saliva from my chin and from around my mouth, then licked away the bit that had dripped onto my breasts. I moaned at the sensation. Goddamn it. 

He looked down at the blood smeared between my thighs and I saw his eyes light up. He hovered his gloved hand over my cunt before plunging two fingers inside. I cried out a moan at the unexpected sensation. He brought his fingers in and out a few times, collecting a fair amount of blood as he brought them back to his lips, savoring the taste. I cringed, practically ready to vomit. 

"Your flow is so heavy; I'm such a lucky bastard," he said as he blissfully licked his fingers clean. 

The Cardinal suddenly looked over at me, bringing his face close as he crashed his lips into mine, devouring my mouth with his tongue. I felt sick as I tasted a metallic flavor from the blood on his tongue. He moaned as he kissed me deeply, holding a tight grip on my face so I couldn't pull away. I felt his sharp teeth bite my lower lip, drawing a few trickles of blood to lap up. 

Aside from the pain of the minor bite, there was a sting in the way he kissed me which I couldn't explain... almost as if it were more than just a kiss to him. It just didn't make sense, considering how badly he treated me. I could never figure out what he was thinking or feeling. All he had ever showed outwardly to me was anger and agression, and I didn't think he was capable of showing any other emotion. I certainly didn't think it was anything more but for that brief moment I wondered otherwise.

Suddenly another figure appeared in the doorway. He looked just like Ghoul, just a tad bit shorter. The Cardinal pulled away from me quickly, allowing me to catch my breath. 

"Master Copia, Papa Nihil wants to see her now."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zenith meets Papa Nihil and Sister Imperator.

"Tell him we'll be up momentarily," the Cardinal said softly. 

"We're going to see Papa Nihil and Sister Imperator. He runs everything around here, as does she. Do not piss the Sister off. You will bow to them and show respect. Do not look at them unless they tell you to."

"Ok," I said. 

"Ok...what?!" 

"Ok, Master. Can't you at least give me something to wear and untie me? I don't exactly enjoy bleeding freely everywhere."

"Oh, but I like it. Besides, around here we are not ashamed of nudity. And if you think I'd actually trust that you won't try to escape, you're even dumber than I thought. Ghoul, let's get her ready. Gag her."

"I'm sorry I have to do this..." Ghoul said apologetically as he grabbed the cloth. I sighed as he shoved the fabric in my mouth and tied it around my head. 

"Let's go." They pulled me up onto my feet and Ghoul escorted me up the steps. The Cardinal walked behind me, occasionally slapping my ass as we walked. I kept my head down low, praying no one else was around to see me like this. 

We walked down a long corridor for what seemed like an eternity. I felt like a prisoner walking on death row. 

The large building was built like a mansion, with high ceilings and many rooms; the carpeting lavish and new. There were large windows allowing to view the forest outside. The hallways were full of rooms that looked almost like dorms. I wondered how many people lived here and who they were. 

There was a cold draft, and my nipples hardened as I shivered. I felt Ghoul's eyes looking down at me as we walked together. I wondered what he was thinking. 

Finally after turning down a few hallways and going up another flight of steps, we stopped at a large door. The Cardinal lifted my chin and looked at me. 

"Remember what I said about showing them respect. Don't do anything stupid." I nodded. 

He knocked as I heard a frail response, "Come in."

The Cardinal entered first as Ghoul pulled me through the doorway. I kept my head down, afraid to take a peek at the leaders. Ghoul pushed me in front of the large desk and ordered me onto my knees. I bowed in front of them. I could feel my body trembling. 

"So this is her?!" I heard the voice of a much older man exclaim. "She seems very obedient already."

"It took some work, Papa, but she still has a long way to go. I only caught her 3 days ago," the Cardinal said. 

"You sure she's the right one?" he asked. 

"Yes. I can see it in her eyes."

"I think she will be a fine addition to the clergy, with the right training. She isn't too bad looking, either. She could use some work, though..." Sister Imperator chimed in. 

"What is your name, girl?" the older man asked.

Ghoul removed the gag so I could speak. 

"Zenith..." I said quietly, still looking at the floor. I yelped as the Cardinal, who was standing next to me, kicked my leg suddenly. 

"Respect!" he uttered under his breath. 

"I'm sorry, my name is Zenith...your Majesty." I didn't know what to call him. 

He chuckled slightly. "'I hope the Cardinal has made you feel welcome, dear." 

I rolled my eyes and scoffed under my breath. The Cardinal elbowed my arm as a warning. 

"Um.... yes, sir thank you." What was I supposed to do, tell him the truth?

"Young woman, we will not be able to perform your ritual until you are finished cycling. Then we can begin your transformation. You may look at me, dear," the Sister said. 

I finally looked up at them. Papa Nihil appeared to be very old; I'm not sure exactly what age. He had a portable oxygen tank that he used to breathe, and he remained seated. Sister Imperator looked younger, possibly in her 60's but she still looked decent. She had long silver hair that she kept in a ponytail and stood tall and confident. 

Despite what I was told I didn't see anything outwardly terrifying about them, but I guess I hadn't fucked up yet to see their true colors. 

"Your eyes do speak waves, my dear," she said. She put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it gently. 

Did she know the truth? 

"You let them know if you need anything." 

"Yes, ma'am, thank you."

"I'm done with her, now; if you'd like you can take her back to the chambers, Cardinal. I will see you soon, dear, and your new life will begin. Nice to meet you!" Papa exclaimed. 

"Nice to meet you, too," I said quietly. Papa Nihil was much cheerier than I expected and was the first person here that didn't treat me like a piece of garbage (except Ghoul, even though he was cold to me). It really touched me. At this point any bit of compassion was appreciated. 

Ghoul yanked me to my feet and I stumbled out of the room; my legs asleep from kneeling so long. My arms ached from being held in this position for so long. My cramps were still atrocious. I figured asking for ibuprofen was a no-no. 

When we returned, my eyes adjusted to the darkness once more. Ghoul brought an extra candle to add more light for me. 

He secured my ankles to the bedposts so I could not try to escape but allowed enough slack on the ropes so I could sit up to eat and lie down. He left my hands tied behind my back. 

Then, for the first time, Ghoul wished me "goodnight" before he left.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ghoul shares some information with Zenith and things take an unexpected turn.

I was in that dungeon for another 10 days. I could only keep track of time because Ghoul came to check on me regularly, usually once or twice a day, to care for me. 

I was bored, sick and nervous. My mind kept going back to what Sister Imperator said: "Transformation?" What the fuck did that mean?

The Cardinal visited me only for sex and didn't say much. He ignored my cries in protest and was very rough with me. He would fuck me so hard it hurt to walk to the bathroom. Every night he would feast on my bleeding cunt. I prayed it would stop soon...but lucky for me my cycles were long and usually weren't shorter than two weeks.

I barely slept; my recurrent nightmares kept me up practically all night. 

I did find, dare I say, friendship(?) in Ghoul from seeing him every day. After a few days he opened up and started talking to me more, instead of just asking how I was and threatening me to eat something. 

He seemed like my only chance to get answers, so one evening I grew the balls to ask him. 

"So, can you tell me...what is so important about those hiking trails that I was so severely punished for going the wrong way?" I asked. He stopped and quickly looked at me, scooting closer on the cot to whisper. 

"I shouldn't even be telling you this, but... it's to keep the abbey a secret. You cannot see it from the other side of the trails, where hikers are directed to go. Years back, there were these damn land developers that insisted on transforming the entire woods area into hiking trails. 

One day, some people taking the trails saw the abbey in the distance and got curious. When they peeked inside and saw that we were a satanic church everyone lost their minds. They tried to force us out, the super religious people in this town. Go figure. They lied and said we were evil and planning to kill everyone. They were crazy as hell, but they got others to believe them which caused huge problems for us.

We had to take care of some things...but still we needed a solution. We talked to the park owners and they agreed to direct hikers the way that keeps us hidden. It was their idea to add that disclaimer on there that if something happens to rulebreakers they weren't liable.

We mean no harm being here. We have just as much right as anyone else. It was the damn bible huggers that started shit with us," he said, sounding upset at the thought of it. 

"I didn't know this was a satanic church," I said. I wasn't lying - I really had no idea what kind of a place this was.

"That's why Master Copia is the Cardinal. He is the current leader, next in line from the Papas before him. You didn't think we were a catholic church did you?!" he asked, half laughing. 

"Clearly, no!! I just had no idea. Either way, now I am here and my life is fucked because your brilliant plan of using the trail markers fucked up and there was a fork in one spot that was missing a sign." I wasn't blaming him specifically. 

"Oh well...that would be the Cardinal's doing, then. He does that sometimes when he needs a meal...it's like a game to him: if the hikers choose wrong, he gets dinner. He gets a kick out of it. I'm so sorry, Zenith. That is all him," Ghoul said lowly. 

"Ok. That just means now I hate him even more. My friend and I were completely innocent and we still got fucked. That is literally the story of my life!" I was so upset.

He rested his hand on my leg, looking into my eyes. Now with him sitting so close to me I had never noticed how beautiful his eyes were; a beautiful brown. 

"I'm so sorry for everything you've been through. I'm sorry for what I've had to do to you and what the Cardinal has done. He'll never apologize. Are you in pain, do you need anything?"

"It's fine, I don't want to be an inconvenience," I said.

"Suit yourself. It's getting late. If I don't return soon the Cardinal is going to wonder where I'm at."

When he got up to leave, he quickly turned toward me, lifting his mask just enough to expose his mouth so he could kiss the top of my head. 

I gasped in shock. He winked at me. 

"Nobody knows about what I told you tonight or what just happened, you got it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good girl."


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zenith learns about Ghoul's past, and some boundaries are broken...but should they be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys, I've been on a roll with this fic, but dropped the ball the yesterday with a minor case of writer's block. My mind was preoccupied with some other stuff...but for now I am back! I wrote a large majority of this last week when I first got the idea and have been posting the chapters very frequently, but now that I'm mostly caught up I have to work hard to continue it. I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS SO MUCH AND AM ABSOLUTELY TOUCHED THAT SO MANY OF YOU ARE ENJOYING THIS. That being said, I do not want to fuck this story up, so please forgive me if I am not updating as much as I have been with the past chapters. I will keep this going as long as I can :) Again thank you so much and feedback is always appreciated.

The next day, after I showered, Ghoul and I mostly talked. He told me about how he was half human, half demon, and that the Cardinal had taken he and his brothers under his wing in exchange for their service. 

"What do you do for him?" I asked. 

“It sounds strange, but we work in the entertainment industry together. I will tell you more about that some other time. It keeps a good facade for us, as we can be ourselves in public yet everyone thinks its just an act. We all work really well together and have fun. Outside of work, I am his most trusted ghoul,” he explained. “He saved my brothers and I from a terrible death when our village was attacked by Christians...that was a very long time ago.”

"So he does have some good in his heart?" I asked, sarcastically.

"Believe it or not, yes...or at least he used to. Regardless, I owe my life to him. Us ghouls are a rare breed, and now my brothers and I are the only left of our kind. All the others were executed the day of the attack."

I then realized why the clergy went to such measures to hide the abbey now, and why Ghoul sounded so bothered telling me about the hiking trails the day prior.

“So why did they want to hurt you all?" I asked. "I'm not trying to upset you, but that's so sad...your whole village? That must have been horrible.”

He balled up his fists slightly. "Yes. It's because people think satanists are evil, not to mention they were appalled at the existence of beings such as myself. I was born the way I am, and my parents raised me probably no different than how yours raised you...except for one thing: mine taught me at a young age how to defend myself because one day someone would try to hurt us. They knew the evil that was out there, but it wasn't us. 

If people would open a damn book and actually educate themselves on other religions, they'd realize practicing satanism is not a bad thing, just because we have a mind of our own and don't follow the mindless shame-teaching that is Christianity. Believe it or not, we practice self-awareness, showing empathy and compassion toward others, owning up to one's mistakes...things like that.”

I paused for a moment. 

“How do they feel about rape?” I asked boldly. 

“Completely against it. Forbidden. Only consensual sex is permitted...and encouraged.”

“So how do you explain what he has done to me...?” I asked, feeling hurt.

He shifted uncomfortably next to me. “I – I'm sorry...I can't. He knows the rules. He is...different from the rest of us. Very different. Different from the leaders before him. He is a different person since he was changed, but he has never done anything like this before, let me assure you. If the clergy knew what he has done to you...he would be severely punished. They would bring the hammer down onto him.”

I didn't know how to respond to that. If that were the case, maybe Sister Imperator didn't know. Maybe she meant something else by what she had said to me the other day. 

It was hard for my mind to comprehend what he was saying. 'Since he was changed'...? Was the same thing going to happen to me? I shuddered at the thought.

“Oh god, I don't want to be like him, please tell me they aren't going to turn me!” I cried. 

“I don't know, Zenith, I really don't...I'm sorry,” he said. I couldn't tell if he was telling the truth or not.

He leaned closer and wrapped his arms around me to comfort me. I felt his tail trailing up and down my thigh. I gasped and pulled away slightly. He jumped up and stepped away, embarrassed. 

“Oh, shit! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have done that!” he held his masked face in his hands as he turned away from me.

“No, it's ok...I just don't know how I feel about this.”

“I feel like I really care about you...when Master Copia first ordered me to 'deal with the prisoner' I wasn't expecting to see someone like you. I tried to keep myself professionally distanced from you, but you are so pure, so kind...” he said quietly. “It was hard not to become attached to you.”

I blushed. I felt like this was some crazy soap opera. Was I losing my mind from being held here for so long? Maybe Stockholm Syndrome was a thing, because for some reason, I felt an attraction to him as well. At least I wasn't attracted to Copia (yet), so maybe this was psychologically acceptable. 

“Are you sure you're not trying to use me like he does?” I said snarkily.

“Absolutely not! I would never do such a thing to a woman, especially one I cared about.”

He sat down next to me and leaned in to kiss me behind my ear. “You smell so nice...” His hot breath sent chills through my body and I felt goosebumps. I leaned in a bit closer to him in consent, welcoming his touch. His hand caressed my breast, squeezing my nipple between his fingers. I moaned softly. I turned to him, locking onto his brown eyes as I ran my fingers along the cool metal of his mask. 

He lifted his mask enough to slip his tongue into my mouth, tasting me. His hand massaged my breast as he kissed me...not rough but passionately. His hand pulled from my breast and wrapped around me as his other hand went between my legs to rub my clit. To his surprise I was already wet for him. 

“Oh my, Zenith...” he gasped. He brought his fingers to my folds and inserted two fingers, scissoring quickly. I squirmed in his arms, moaning. His fingers were very talented. I'm not sure how, but he made me come rather quickly just with the motions of his fingers in my cunt and teasing my clit. I was panting a little, unsure how to feel about what just happened. 

Once I came down from the high of my orgasm, fear struck through me. What if the Cardinal found out about what we just did? Would he punish me, would he punish Ghoul? What if he forbade him from seeing me? I would die if he was taken away from me as well. He's the only thing that has brought brightness to these dark days. 

“Ghoul, I think you should go,” I said, with tears welling up in my eyes. “It's not you, it's me!” I said as I quickly shuffled to the bathroom to clean myself up. He waited for me to finish, as per Copia's orders he had to bind my hands and ankles before leaving, but afterward he left without saying anything else. 

I felt awful, like I had hurt him, but I was afraid. And I had good reason to be.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cardinal finds out about Zenith and Ghoul's encounter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this may be a rough chapter. be forewarned!

The next day, I woke up to the Cardinal standing silently next to the bed. I turned slightly and opened my mouth to ask him what he was doing, but before I could utter a word he brought his hand to my neck and gripped it tightly, pushing me into the bed, staring into my eyes. 

“Are you seducing my Ghoul, you fucking whore?!” he yelled as he dug his claws deeper into my neck and he squeezed harder. I shook my head 'no' with tears escaping my eyes. 

“I could smell your cunt on him when he left your chambers. This whole room smells of your orgasm, and I didn't give you one yesterday!” he growled. “Now you're just pushing me, bitch!” He brought his hand across my face with his claws extended as I cried out. I felt the warm liquid roll down my cheeks as the blood began to flow.

"I'm...sorry...” I gasped, although really I had nothing to apologize for. 

“Fuck, I knew I couldn't trust you,” he finally let go of my throat as my face started turning blue.

Gasping to catch my breath, I tried to explain myself. I honestly didn't know whether to take the blame for it or to tell the truth – that it was Ghoul's idea. “Copi ---- Master, I'm so sorry. Have mercy on me, please!” I cried. I squinted as some blood trickled into the corner of my eye. It burned.

“How am I supposed to trust that you won't be a sleazy whore and sleep around on me after your ritual?!” he said angrily. Releasing the ropes that held my wrists, he flipped me onto my belly and pushed my face into the mattress to quiet me. I was crying hysterically. I lifted my head for a brief second to speak.

“Please...god, no, I'm not like that. You have to understand...it wasn't my idea.” I said it. I was afraid to get Ghoul in trouble but it had to be said. 

“Ghoul, please come in, now,” Copia said. I turned my head slightly to see Ghoul come in. He wasn't standing tall like he normally did. His posture was slightly scrunched; he looked afraid.

“Ghoul, please tell me....is it true that you wanted this little slut?” the Cardinal asked him.

After a second of hesitation, Ghoul finally answered. “Yes, sir and I am so sorry. I never should have gone behind your back without your permission and touched your woman!” he said, falling onto his knees.

Copia laughed maniacally. “Please get up, Ghoul, it's OK, my friend. Believe me, I don't blame you for wanting this hot piece of ass! You just have to help me now.” Ghoul stood up in attention, looking confused. I looked into his eyes for a second as he met mine with concern. 

“We need to teach her a lesson and you are going to help me.”

“No!” I cried out. He wrapped his arms around my waist to pull my ass up into the air, and he spread my legs apart. Thankfully I was at the near end of my cycle and had almost stopped bleeding, but he took what he could get and moaned as he licked his fingers. 

“Ghoul, stand in front of her,” Copia ordered. Nervously, Ghoul climbed up onto the bed and sat up on his knees in front of me. He gasped when he saw the deep gashes on the side of my face. 

“Since you want him so bad, you're going to suck his cock. Go on, make him hard. Play with his dick, slut.” 

I reached forward and brushed my fingers gently over Ghoul's thighs, inching closer to his soft penis. I traced along the outline in his tight pants and he moaned softly, while brushing my fingers over his head as he shivered. I rubbed and lightly tickled him as I saw him getting harder and he removed his suspenders that held up his trousers. When they fell, his large cock was straining against the fabric of his underwear. I slid those down painfully slow, wishing he and I could be enjoying this privately...not this way. 

I softly licked his leaking slit to catch the beaded precum that had formed as I stroked his length. He hissed at the sensation. My tongue ran up and down the pulsing veins along his length and he grunted. As I covered his dick in saliva, I began to work it into my mouth to swallow him. He tasted delicious. I worked my tongue around him, eliciting moans as I began to suck him hard. His hips started to move back and forth to gain momentum, slowly picking up pace with every thrust. He gripped my hair as he moaned loudly.

“Good girl...” he growled.

My mind was focused on pleasing Ghoul, as deep down I really wanted that. At the same time, I was horrified of the man behind me, enjoying watching me go down on Ghoul. My fears were correct; I knew he was going to find out. That's why I freaked out last night. How long was he going to punish me for this? Again my mind panicked as I thought of him forbidding Ghoul from coming to see me. 

I wasn't paying attention to him at all and therefore didn't notice how he spat on his dick and slicked himself before pounding into me from behind. I screamed loudly around Ghoul's cock and as my throat contracted Ghoul moaned louder. Both of their thrusts became harder as they fucked me. The Cardinal clawed my back as he buried his cock deeper in me. Ghoul had his cock so deep in my throat I had tears in my eyes and my chin was coated in saliva. 

Copia slapped my ass as he fucked me. “That's what you get for being a dirty slut!” he grunted. I whined as my ass began to sting. 

My involuntary moans of pleasure seemed to make ghoul's dick even harder. He began to whine as he gripped my hair tighter. “Oh fuck, I'm gonna come, I'm gonna come!” and he came into my mouth, hard. I slightly choked on his cum as it filled my throat, but I tried to give him a few good sucks before he pulled out. 

Copia was still pounding me hard, then I felt his body tense up as he came inside me. I had not come yet, but I was very close. I hated giving him the satisfaction of my orgasm...I wished Ghoul could give me the release I so desperately needed. He pulled out, leaving me lying there with my ass still up. I didn't want to beg but I was so close to coming, it hurt. 

“Please.....” I whined. “Please, what?” he teased.

“Please make me come, please, I am so close, please fucking do it,” I said through tears. No response. “Ghoul...please help me,” I cried. 

He looked at Copia. He shook his head 'no' to him. “I'm sorry Zenith...” he whispered. 

“No. You're being punished. You don't get to come without my permission.”

“Go fuck yourself,” I growled. Out of desperation, I quickly brought my hand down to my cunt and started rubbing my clit furiously, trying to give myself the release I needed.

He reached down quickly and tore my hand away, smacking my ass again. “Defiant bitch!” He retrieved the rope and tied my hands behind my back once more.

“Well, that was fun. We must do that again sometime. Ghoul, I want you to come with me, we have some things we have to do today,” he said. 

Ghoul knelt down next to me and whispered, “Please forgive me. I didn't want this to happen. I will try to come see you later. By the way....that was fucking amazing,” he said as he left with Cardinal. 

“Goddamn it!” I said to myself quietly after they had left. I was crying. I never wanted that man to ever touch me but I begged because I was so desperate to come. I felt the frustration in my body from being denied, and it was awful. How did I fuck this up for myself? I never got to apologize to Ghoul for how I treated him last night. What if....he tricked me to set me up? God, I hope he wasn't like his Master...I didn't know what to think. 

For the longest time I just lay there, waiting for Ghoul to come back. 

He never did. No one did. That whole day I had to lie there filthy, hungry and unknowing.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of Zenith's transformation is here. The Cardinal helps her to prepare for ritual.

That night – well, what I assumed was 'night' – I dreamt of being free and being with Ghoul. I dreamt of him walking me through a breathtaking garden, full of every flower imaginable that could possibly flourish in this climate. We held hands as he placed kisses on my cheek and he picked a fresh rose for me. He brushed some hair behind my ear and we stopped at an apple tree for lunch, sitting against the trunk, enjoying the sunshine.

Suddenly, the sky turned black and Ghoul began to fade away before my eyes. I saw the roots from the tree coming to life, extending out of the ground like tentacles and wrapping around my leg, just like when Copia caught me in the forest. I started screaming and trying to pull away, calling Ghoul's name, yet he was nowhere to be found. The flowers in the garden began to wilt and shrivel up as I saw Copia approach me, bearing his fangs. I started seeing red as he lunged at my neck with his teeth. I woke up screaming, drenched in sweat.

"What the fuck just happened?" I thought. I sat up and rolled my neck back, stretching the best I could. My back was so stiff from lying here like this. My stomach roared loudly out of emptiness.

I called out softly, “Hello?” As I expected, no response.

I sat up for a while, trying to contemplate what time it was or how many days I had been down here alone. I wanted out of this hellhole so badly. My mind then thought about it: what will happen to me during this 'ritual' that everyone spoke of? How long will it be until this ritual? It gave me a headache thinking about the unknowns. 

I recalled Sister Imperator and her kind words: “Let them know if you need anything.” Yeah, right. If only she knew how awful her Cardinal was...I could ruin his fucking life by telling them the truth. But I'm a better person than that...not to mention he would probably kill me in retaliation. On second thought, maybe I should tell her when I see her...

Would they even believe me?? 

I waited for what felt like hours; waiting to hear those wooden steps creaking, waiting for someone to come through that small door. Still, no one came. Fuck. I really had to piss. My bladder hurt from holding it so long, but I held it. I waited all day, but nobody came.

Maybe this was it. Maybe he was just going to leave me to die down here. Did it really matter? 

I cried myself to sleep that night. 

\------------------------------------------------

Oddly enough, that night I was actually able to stay asleep for most of the night. It was certainly unusual but I welcomed it. I didn't wake completely refreshed but it felt good to not wake up screaming every 20 minutes like I had been.

On the day of my transformation, I was woken up by the Cardinal barging into the chambers ordering me to wake up. 

"It's time to get up. Let's go!" he barked. He was alone.

I sat up quickly, still a little sleepy, but physically I felt better as my cramps had finally subsided. I looked down at the bed; apparently I had pissed myself during the night. My face was beet red with humiliation. 

He looked at me sternly, taking notice.

“Well maybe if you hadn't left me alone down here for two days that wouldn't have happened...” I said, my voice low. 

“Umm, what time is it?” I asked him after he didn't respond to my first comment.

"It's well into the afternoon. Your ritual is planned to happen this evening, and you need to be ready."

I felt a wave of nausea come over me. It couldn't be time already. I wasn't ready.

"What's going to happen to me?" I asked, fighting to keep from tearing up.

"You're disgusting. You need a shower," the Cardinal said, completely ignoring my question once more. He untied my ankles and hooked one arm around mine, leading me to the bathroom. He entered with me, locking the door. I stood there, expecting him to leave.

I can clearly do this myself if you untie me," I said, annoyed.

"No, this is part of the preparation. I need to be the one to bathe you, to wash you clean for the transformation,” he said, indifferent. He untied my wrists but ordered me to keep my arms at my sides. I obeyed.

He brushed the tangles out of my hair until it was smooth. I used the toilet before he assisted me into the shower. “Stand there until I'm ready,” he ordered. The water that ran over me was a little cool for my liking, but I didn't want to anger him by complaining. He undressed himself before entering the shower. When he pulled the shower curtain back, I admired his body, which I had not had the chance to study before. He was well built, and had muscular arms and a fit abdomen. His thighs were huge, complimenting his large cock. 

He stepped in under the water, not saying anything. I watched his cock harden quickly under the stimulation of the cold water. I hoped he wouldn't act upon it. He started by washing my hair first, then moving on to cleansing my skin, making sure not to miss a spot. He was gentle with the washcloth while going over my wounds, lightly scrubbing the dried blood off of me.

I can't say that him bathing me felt nice. It felt...awkward. Very awkward. This man has seen me at my absolute most embarrassing state and has put me through the most unimaginable hell, yet now he was, dare I say – gently – bathing me. I didn't think he was capable of being so soft, but for as much as I should have enjoyed it, it was weird. It just didn't feel right.

It didn't take long before he began to act like his sick self again. He squeezed my ass, digging his nails into my tender skin before slapping it lightly. Spanking seemed to be one of his kinks and my ass had become quite used to it during my time in this dungeon when he came to fuck me. He said he loved the way it made me scream.

Once I was clean, he helped me out of the shower and wrapped me in a towel, then wrapping himself in one next. When we exited the bathroom, I looked over and saw the cot was completely clean...and there was something lying on top of the mattress. Someone had been here to clean up while Copia was in the shower with me. I wondered if it was Ghoul. I noticed the sheets had not been replaced; the mattress was bare. Did that mean I was finally getting out of here?

“Go look at what's on the bed,” he said coldly. “Put it on.”

I walked over slowly, my body stiff and sore, as I laid my eyes on the article of clothing and slipped into it. It was a long, black Gothic dress with mid-length sleeves. The straps between the neck/shoulder area created a pentagram symbol, and the bottom of the dress was constructed of a beautiful lace corset bodice that hugged and accentuated my hips and breasts in the most flattering way. I looked like shit otherwise, but the dress made me feel a little more human and ladylike.

After I adjusted the bodice, I turned to face him. He stared at me, eyes wide and mouth hanging open for a few minutes. It seemed like he wanted to compliment on the dress, but he decided not to say anything. 

"Let's go. It's almost time."


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The turning ritual begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so please forgive me if I have some things incorrect as far as content. I did some research on vampire turning. As far as rituals and such I just kind of went with it how I imagined it would be.  
> Ok, I'll stop rambling.  
> Enjoy!

After he was dressed, I noticed he was wearing his red cassock, black leather gloves and biretta, just like the day he took me to meet Papa Nihil and Sister Imperator. He looked very official in his clergy attire. I guess this ritual was a big deal if he dressed up that much. 

Once more he bound my hands behind my back before he walked me up the steep flight of wooden steps to my fate. There was silence as he did not speak to me; all you could hear was the creaking wood and the sound of us breathing. 

My growling stomach loudly interrupted the silence. 

"I'm starving..." I said to him quietly. "Please can I have something to eat first?" His grip on my arm tightened and I heard almost an inaudible "shut up" escape his lips. God, why was he so awful??

As we walked, I thought again about my friend James. Just because I haven't mentioned him recently doesn't mean that I forgot about him and his unfortunate fate. In reality, I thought about him every single day. I blamed myself for his death. It fucking sucked.

I grieved over the loss of the dear friend that I wanted something more with. I grieved missing out on ever having that kind of relationship with him - or anyone, really, now that the Cardinal has kept Ghoul from me as well. 

Admittedly, (selfishly) it hurt to think back to that point before my life became a living hell, so I tried not to as to avoid the depressive thoughts. 

Once we reached the top of the steps, he led me to a different area of the building this time. Still, there were lots of long hallways and winding corners. We passed some stained glass windows and for the first time since this disaster began I saw the light of the outside reflecting through. You could tell it was very near sunset, but I appreciated getting to see it. 

He stopped when we approached a very small doorway - it looked like the entrance to a chapel. At the entrance above the door were inverted crosses, adorned with the letter G incorporated into them. 

The Cardinal stepped in front of me.

"Wait. Stand behind me right here. Do not try to run," he said.

"Yes, Master." If I could have run, I would have. I was frozen with fear. My anxiety was through the roof.

He poked his head inside and said a few things to someone that I couldn't decipher. I then heard someone say "bring her inside." 

At this point I was glad I hadn't eaten because I certainly would have vomited all over the floor.

When I stepped inside, the room was completely illuminated by candlelight. There were various satanic statues and depictions on the walls and throughout the chapel. The walls were a deep shade of black and red. In the center there was a large altar with a pentagram in the middle of it, surrounded by pillars that each housed a large black candle.

The chapel smelled heavily of some type of incense. It was pretty thick and a little difficult to breathe in. 

I heard low chanting emerging from the opposite side of the chapel. Slowly, one by one, I saw the ghouls approaching the altar, all wearing the same outfits - black button up dress shirts and ties with extremely tight pants held up by suspenders. They all wore the silver horned masks and balaclavas to hide the rest of their faces. My heart jumped for a brief moment, hoping one of them was Ghoul. 

They lined up, each standing behind a pillar, grabbing the candle from it. 

"It is time. Go kneel in the center of the altar."

Slowly, with legs shaking, I walked to the altar and centered myself on the pentagram. The Cardinal approached me from behind and untied my wrists, instructing me to keep my hands on my thighs. 

I quickly looked around at the ghouls. It was dark and I couldn't see the colors of their eyes. I was looking for my brown-eyed Ghoul...if he was there, I certainly couldn't tell. I hoped he was.

I also saw Papa Nihil and Sister Imperator in attendance, standing by a table with a chalice resting on it. They looked over at me. Sister Imperator's eyes widened when she saw the gashes on my face.

The Cardinal began, "Unholy father, we are gathered on this night of ritual to adopt a new goddess, thus making the ultimate sacrifice for you, lord." 

I looked up at him. So they were going to kill me. Fuck. Tears started to fall from my eyes and my hands were shaking. I wished they had just killed me from the start.

"With this act, I shall share my poison, giving her eternal life in the name of Satan, to accompany me and protect the abbey," he continued. 

Wait...what? What did that mean? 

The ghouls began to chant in unison, in another language I did not understand. It sounded like...latin??

"Il padre, il filio  
Et lo spiritus malum  
Omnis caelestis  
Delenda est  
Anti Cristus  
Il filio de Sathanas  
Infestissumam"

(The Father, the Son and the Evil Spirit, everything Heavenly must be destroyed. Anti Christ, the Son of Satan, the Most Hostile)

The Cardinal approached me and lifted me up gently so I was standing. I couldn't help that I was crying. He wrapped his arms around me, almost like we were going to dance. He leaned forward, bending me backward slightly. He brushed my hair away from my neck...and just like my nightmares he bared his fangs as he plunged them into my neck, while the ghouls chanted: 

"Per aspera ad inferi"

(Through hardships into hell)


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cardinal completes turning Zenith and she begins to feel the effects of the change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the extremely short chapter. I already have the next one completed but it didn't feel right combining them together. Therefore the next one will be rather short, too.  
> I sincerely hope you're enjoying this and I appreciate you reading this far 🖤

I barely had time to react. I let out a scream in pain as he did his deed. I felt him draining blood from me through the wound, but then shortly after I felt him infusing it back into me. 

Once he was finished, he sang the words, "Time will soon be gone. Right will turn to wrong. Winds come on strong. Come unleashed, you're set free."

He gently stood me back up straight and - keeping me in his embrace - kissed me deeply in front of the audience of ghouls and clergy. Once again, this kiss felt like...something more. 

What was he trying to convey? Was it a farce that he put on in front of his peers? Or...was it more? He was so impossible to read!

"From now our merge is eternal," he sang low.

I started to feel dizzy and disoriented. Suddenly my back arched as I left out a piercing scream, falling to the ground. My body convulsed as I felt something changing within me. 

Burning pain roared through my veins as I screamed. My breaths became short and rapid, and soon it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest, prohibiting my breathing. 

"Master...Ghoul...Papa...please, someone help me!" I cried through labored breaths. I was starting to see double and my vision was blurred but I saw a ghoul begin running to me.

"Zenith!" 

It was Ghoul. His voice was full of panic and fear.

I wanted to reach for him and call out his name, but I was paralyzed. I saw a shorter ghoul set his candle down and rapidly advance toward Ghoul, yanking him back and holding him in his place.

The Cardinal held me down as my convulsions became more violent. I was gasping for breath and my body felt like it was on fire.

Within seconds, all sights and sounds around me ceased and everything went black. 

My life as I knew it had come to an end.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zenith awakens in an unknown universe after blacking out. Was this heaven, hell, somewhere else? What the hell is going on?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so another shortish chapter but I've worked really hard on the last two and have been very excited to share them!

I woke up to blackness. I couldn't even see my hand in front of me, and panic shot through me as I had no idea where I was. 

"Where am I?! Someone please help me!" I called out. The only response I received was my voice echoing back to me.

Was I dead? Copia had just killed me...right? Everything that happened at the ritual was real...right?

It was then that my thoughts were interrupted by a man singing.

"Can you hear me say your name forever?" 

"Hello?!" I called out. It started out low, then got louder.

"Can you see me longing for you forever?"

"Who is that?!" I asked.

"I know the light grows darker down below, but in your eyes it's gone before you know..."

Within the blackness, I felt a hand grab mine while the stranger placed their other hand on my (non-wounded) cheek. 

"We dance once more, I feel your hands are cold; within your heart, a story to be told..."

The singing was beautiful and had me crying hysterically. I realized it was the Cardinal. 

"This is the moment of just letting go...if you had life eternal..." he finishes singing into my ear. The hands then retracted and again I was left alone in the darkness.

"Please, tell me...what does all of this mean?!" I cried out. 

Why would he be singing such beautiful music to me? After the horrible things he had done...deep down, did he actually care about me? What had he done?

"WHY?!" My emotional tears turned into those of frustration and anger as I came to. 

I suddenly became aware of myself and jumped up abruptly. 

"She's awake!" I heard. 

My arms were thrashing and terrifying, guttural screams and growls were escaping from my throat. 

My head was spinning and my thoughts were unclear. I was still hungry, but I was craving...blood? The thirst was insatiable. 

"Sister! The chalice! Quick, bring it to me!" the voice yelled. 

As my vision became clearer, I focused on the Cardinal leaning toward me, putting the chalice to my lips, ordering me to drink from it. 

A wave of calm washed over me as I settled down. My eyes darted around the room at my surroundings. Everyone was looking at me, silent.

"It worked."


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zenith's new life begins, as she starts to get acquainted with the Cardinal. Later, she steps out for a while and runs into someone unexpected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, another update! I've been really busy with work and life, and I have been having a really hard time thinking about where I want this story to go, so I apologize for not updating for a few days. As I've said, I do not want to fuck this story up and I want to keep it interesting! Feedback is always appreciated, and any suggestions/requests are welcomed :)

"Welcome back, Zenith," Sister Imperator said. 

I rubbed my head; it was pounding. There was a strong metallic taste in my mouth and I felt so cold I was trembling. I ran my fingers through my hair and felt scraping along my scalp. I looked at my hands; I now had long claws instead of fingernails.

Shocked and completely freaked out, I backed away from them all. "What is going on with me?!" I exclaimed, panicked. 

"Your transformation is complete. You may now fulfill your duties to our church and to your Master. I have the utmost faith in you, dear. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to come see me," she explained. 

I nodded, still very confused. 

"This completes tonight's ritual. May Satan be with you in everything you do. NemA!" Papa exclaimed. 

"NemA," everyone else repeated in unison. 

The ghouls extinguished their candles and set them on the pillars but remained at their posts until the Cardinal dismissed them.

"So what happens now?" I asked. I tried to get up but felt incredibly exhausted. The Cardinal then scooped me up into his arms bridal-style. 

"You need rest. Then we can begin your training," he said, coldly. 

The way he was to me heavily conflicted with the dream I had of him singing to me after I died. Maybe it was just a dream...but why did it seem so real? 

We spoke not a word as he carried me through the halls. I was expecting to be taken back to the dungeon but instead we ascended up a few flights of stairs to a different destination. 

We approached a large door and he fiddled with the lock to open it without dropping me. He gently pushed the door open with his foot and we went inside. It was his own personal living quarters. 

The room was very large, giving ample space for him to do work and enjoy leisure time. In addition to the large work desk and multitude of filing cabinets, there was a large, inviting fireplace with a generous couch and TV nearby. There were multiple bookcases full of various literature. He had his own bathroom and mini kitchen. What caught my attention more than anything was his bed. It was absolutely ginormous, with tall bedposts and enclosed with a canopy and very expensive cashmere bedding. The red and black shades of the sheets were complimentary to the gothic designs on the walls. He carried me to it and set me down onto the sheets.

"I appreciate the chance in scenery, thank you, Master..." I said nervously. He was still very quiet, just looking away from me at the roaring fireplace. 

Breaking the awkward silence, I spoke up again. "Sister Imperator had mentioned 'duties'... so what exactly does that mean? What am I?"

He did not respond right away. 

"You're dead. I turned you into a vampire. From turning you, I've marked you as my mate. Now we are tied as one, eternally. You will need to be trained to use your abilities and understand your new needs and limitations as a vampire..." he said quietly. "You are now a member of the church of Ghost."

"Why didn't I get to have any say in this...?" I asked quietly, trying not to get upset. I was afraid of angering him. 

"It wasn't up to you to have any say. I captured you with intents to turn you. Papa Nihil and Sister Imperator had to approve it, and they saw us as a fit pair. I told you from the start that you were mine..." his voice sounded lustful. 

I felt scared. So this was my fate? After the way he hurt me, did they all think I could just forget everything and accept all this? I mean, obviously Sister and Papa didn't know the truth, but....did Copia expect me to act like nothing happened? I wasn't sure if I could. 

"What if I don't want to spend eternity with you?"

“If you keep it up with those comments I will find better use of your mouth,” he warned. 

I folded my arms in front of me abruptly, feeling childish but still justifiably angry. 

"I will be in charge of overseeing your training. If you do well you will be rewarded. If not, you will be punished. There is no turning back now, nor can you refuse."

A wave of nausea spread over me. "I need to use the bathroom. I don't feel very g--" I said as I felt a sudden urge to vomit. I sprung out of bed and flew into the bathroom, locking the door as I began puking my guts out. I was in there for a while. Once I felt a little better, I stood up on my wobbly legs and rinsed out my mouth, splashing water in my face. 

I took a look at myself in the mirror. I didn't even recognize myself. 

My skin was extremely pale and I had fresh punctures on my neck. I had dark black circles around my eyes, just like he did. I had sharp fangs, just like he did. My hair was disheveled but I wasn't too concerned about that at the moment. The deep scratches on my face were 'magically' healed but heavily scarred. I then turned to dry my face with a towel and saw something on my shoulder, exposed by the style of my dress: it looked like a tattoo, still very fresh in appearance. 

I slowly stepped out of the bathroom and saw him sitting on the couch, staring at the fireplace quietly. "I'm sorry about that..." I said to him. 

"Get some rest. When you're more rested we have a lot to discuss."

I obeyed and climbed into the large bed, settling under the luxurious sheets. “Goodnight, Master...” I said to him softly.

He said nothing back. As I rolled over and closed my eyes, I quickly fell asleep and was plunged into a world of strange dreams. What I didn't know was that after I had fallen asleep, the Cardinal approached me and placed a small kiss on my forehead before retreating to the couch to rest himself. 

\--------------------

I woke up later that night, feeling restless. I looked over at Copia; he was sleeping on the couch peacefully. I needed to get some fresh air. I snuck out of bed and scampered across the room, not wanting to wake him up. I let out a sigh of relief once I was in the hallway. 

I had no idea where I was going in this huge place so I wandered, heading down the stairs to find the exit. I desperately wanted to go outside to clear my head. Absentmindedly I kept walking, not really paying attention to my surroundings until my awareness was brought back to me as I slammed into someone. We both fell down. 

I looked up and saw a pair of terrified looking brown eyes staring at me from behind the silver mask. 

"Ghoul??" 

He reached out to me and touched my face, and I recognized the touch of those fingers. My eyes welled up with tears; how wonderful it was to see him again. He didn't say anything. 

"Please don't be afraid of me...I know I look different...but I'm still me - for now, at least.”

"Zenith... how are you?" he finally said.

"I don't know...OK, I guess? Considering I'm dead and all.." He got a chuckle out of that. "I desperately need some air; can you please show me how to get outside?" I asked. 

He took my hand. "Follow me." I probably could've found my way had I kept going, as I found I wasn't too far from the exit where I had run into Ghoul. He took me out and we walked through a garden. 

It reminded me of that nightmare I had...although the details now weren't exactly as they had been in the dream. Still, with the memories of it in the back of my mind, I clung to him tightly. 

"You look absolutely stunning in that dress," he said. “The Cardinal made an excellent choice for you.” I could tell he was trying to make me feel better. 

"Thanks..." I stopped walking, looked at him and broke down, crying. "Oh, Ghoul, I'm so sorry about everything!! Please forgive me; I don't want you to hate me for what I did!"

"What are you apologizing for?!" he said, confused. 

"That night we messed around...I panicked and kicked you out without even so much as telling you why...I am so very sorry about that. It wasn't anything you did; I knew he was going to punish me and I was very scared. Believe me, I wanted to do what we did and very much enjoyed it...but you see what happened as a result.” He just looked at me, listening intently. He rolled his eyes as we both recalled it.

“I had a feeling he was going to keep you from me, and I almost didn't make it those few days that I was left down there by myself, fucking waiting in silence just to be ignored...I was so scared.” 

“You mean...he didn't come down those days to care for you, either?” I guess he didn't know. 

“NO, not at all. At first I was angry at both of you...I convinced myself that you had tricked me to get me punished. I was angry that I was left down there alone for days. But I know it's not your fault; I know you have to follow his orders. I'm angry at HIM. For everything. I just need to let this out. I am so frustrated, so confused. I'm really sorry if I hurt you, Ghoul,” I sobbed.

He hugged me tight and rubbed my back, comforting me. “Everything is going to be OK, please try to calm down. I know you're struggling right now but things will rationalize and maybe you'll find some light at the end of the tunnel...”

“You have been my light through this nightmare...” I whispered. 

“Okay...I appreciate that, but you belong to Master Copia. You need to understand that. Whether he chooses to share you with me or anyone else is his decision.”

“Fuck, man, this sucks. I know I shouldn't be wallowing around feeling sorry for myself but I just hate this all. He ruined my life, ended my life...and for what?”

“Maybe we should just walk around for a while. Try to clear your mind," he said. I nodded.

We walked around the grounds for probably a few hours. It felt so good to finally be outside again after my imprisonment. It was a bit chilly but oh, the breeze in my hair never felt so good. I admit, I did feel a little better after our walk. The moonlight was exponentially beautiful. Ghoul escorted me back to Copia's room and kissed me on the cheek before I slid back in. 

“Thanks so much, for everything...” I said. 

“I hope to see you soon, Zenith. Trust me, you will be OK. Try to give Copia a chance...see the person he really is...you might be surprised,” he said as I closed the door. I rolled my eyes slightly. 

I climbed back into bed, feeling calmer and finally ready to sleep. As I snuggled in the blankets I felt a bit of loneliness wash over me, wishing someone were sharing the bed with me.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zenith goes on her first hunt with Copia, and realizes that she is not the same as she once was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course Copia is still acting conflicting as hell and obviously Zenith doesn't know what to think. Poor thing, how is she supposed to adjust to the new life if everything is so uncertain?!
> 
> Sorry for the lack of smut. It might be coming up in the next few chapters!

That night I was visited by the Cardinal, singing to me again in my dreams. This time, I was sitting in a dark room in the corner, chained to the wall, crying and shaking.

His soft voice began, 

"I know your soul is not tainted, even though you've been told so ... You and I see eye to eye..."

"I can feel the thunder that's breaking in your heart, I can see through the scars inside you," 

He knelt down next to me and freed me from the chains, holding my hands as he raised me up onto my feet. 

Massaging my hands, he continued, 

"Can't you see that you're lost without me?" before it ended abruptly.

Such strange dreams. 

I woke up the next morning feeling more refreshed...but hungry. I rubbed my eyes sleepily as I scanned the room, looking for the Cardinal.

He emerged from the bathroom, dressed today in a black cassock, looking freshly showered and pampered. Admittedly he looked damn fine.

“Good morning, Master,” I said. I wondered if he had any idea of the dreams I was having? I couldn't think of a way to bring it up to him. 

“We have a lot to do today. Get yourself ready so we can discuss things and maybe start your training,” he said. 

It then hit me that during the entire time I have been here, he had never once called me by my name. 

My stomach grumbled, interrupting my wandering mind.

“I'm really hungry, can we please eat?” It seemed like this was a common thing for me to ask him.

“That's your first lesson. You can eat food but it won't do anything to nourish you. You MUST drink blood. Like I said, we're vampries...” he said to me. 

"I guess that explains why I felt like I did when I woke up during the ritual...I had a horrible craving for blood. Do I have to drink it every day?”

“Yes, every day! Humans have to eat every day to survive, don't they?” he said sarcastically.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, they do. Remember how you denied me food for days when I was locked in your little torture chamber?!” I said, snarkily. 

“Hey! I told you to watch your mouth. I don't like that fucking attitude.”

“Well I still hate you, so...” I said as he stepped to me and slapped me across the face. I yelped as tears welled up in my eyes. 

“You will start to respect me. I spared your life, after all. You should be on your knees thanking me,” he growled.

“Yeah, I have so much to be grateful for," I said, rolling my eyes. "You did it just so you could keep me as your little fuck toy and help you protect this damn place. I don't even know what the Church of Ghost is!!"

He looked at me and sighed. "You must have been living under a rock while you were human... you've not heard of Ghost??" I shook my head, still clutching the side of my face.

"We're a rock band from Sweden. We are one of the biggest bands in the world, currently. Our songs focus on Satan and death-themed elements and we are quite popular. We help spread the word of our Dark Lord by drawing in new members with our music."

"That sounds quite...interesting," I said. Now I knew what Ghoul meant when he said they were in the entertainment industry...but, a satanic rock band led by a vampire? That wasn't what I expected.

"As my mate, you will become quite familiar with the Ghost project. You'll love it." 

Admittedly I was quite intrigued about this Ghost project. Music was my heart and soul so to be involved in such a huge band sounded exciting. 

"So... going back to food, why are we able to eat regular food if it doesn't do anything for us?"

"It helps to make us appear normal to the general public. Imagine what people would think if we literally never ate in front of them? Someome would eventually speculate. We can't risk others finding out. Vampires are... not well accepted in society. This way we can appear just like regular humans," he explained. 

"Where do we get blood meals?"

"Where else do you think? You have to kill."

My heart sank into my stomach. "How am I supposed to do that? I've never killed anything; I even go out of my way to avoid stepping on bugs! How am I supposed to kill living things or people?!"

"Listen...you are changed, now. You're not human anymore. Your cravings will help you accomplish what you need. This is how it has to be. I will take you out later to practice. If there are days where you cannot catch a meal, there are...ways...to draw out prey. I also have a small reserve of blood, stored away, in case we need it in emergency. I used some of it on you after your transformation. You were uncontrollable." 

Suddenly I felt a nasty pain in the side of my head. "Oh fuck!" I yelled as I grasped my head. 

"What's wrong?!" he exclaimed.

"I suddenly have a really bad headache. Oh god, it is awful!" I cried.

"Fuck. You need blood. Let's go, we'll start your training now."

I freshened up and quickly we headed out of his chambers and he led me outside. He took me into the woods. My memories fluttered back as I remembered James and I running for our lives. I was heavily distracted, breathing rapidly. 

"Master, I can't do this. I can't be here, it's too soon," I cried.

"You have to! Or your body will destroy itself until it gets what it needs." 

He saw a deer grazing on some grass. He smiled and bared his teeth, a low growl emitting from his throat. 

My eyes widened. "But Master...an animal?"

"If you have to, yes. It's a mammal, is it not? Humans are preferred but this will do. You have to be quick and stealthy with creatures."

He climbed into a tree and waited for the right moment to pounce on it, using his claws to stun it and hold it in place. I remained on the ground, waiting for his instructions.

"Come over here," he ordered, and I obeyed and shuffled over to him. 

He pointed to its neck and had me feel for its pulse before instructing me to sink my teeth into it. I was afraid but I did as he told me. As I drank its blood, my body started to feel amazing - I felt refreshed, empowered, stronger. Excited grunts escaped me as I drank its blood. 

"Ok that's enough. I want some, as well!" he said. 

I can't explain what happened to me after that. I felt like a dog being possessive over its dinner. I growled at him, not wanting to share, standing over the deer to guard what was mine. 

"Hey! When I say that's enough, that's enough!" he yelled. He yanked my hair back to pull me away from the deer. I stepped back, feeling angry. He then finished it off. 

When he was done, he stood and straightened his suit jacket and looked over at me. I was sitting against a tree, silently pouting. 

"We need to work on self control with you. You can't go ape shit like that when you get a meal because it will make you wreckless!"

"I'm sorry, Master..."

"It's ok. At least you did it. I didn't know if you actually would. Hopefully you feel a little better now..."

"Yes, sir, I do."

We walked back to the abbey, and for some reason I wanted to be close to him. I walked practically up against him and tried to hold his hand. He allowed me to hold it but did not hold mine back, keeping his fingers loose at his side. By the time we got back, he told me it was time to join everybody for dinner before he conducted mass. 

"Do I get to join you tonight?"

"No...not yet. I'm sorry," he said apologetically. 

"Am I being punished? Or am I just still being treated like a prisoner? Are you ashamed of me?"

"Stop that. It's not that. Just give it a few more days. If you're interested I'll have someone send up some food. Our chef is quite good, which is one reason why I join everybody for dinner." He actually smiled a little bit. 

"Soon enough I'll introduce you to the rest of the family here. I'll be back later."

As the door latched, I sat on the bed, feeling sad and alone. 

Not too long after that, I heard a knock at the door, and my brown-eyed Ghoul popped his head in. 

"Hey. I brought you some dinner; Master Copia said you'd like some."

"Yes, I would, thank you so much." The food looked delicious: thick slices of prime rib with seasoned potatoes and veggies. He had brought me some wine to go with my dinner. I wasn't used to eating this well. 

"Now, I can't stay; I have to return to the dining hall, ok?" Ghoul said to me. 

"I understand. Just real quick...so Master took me out hunting today and something strange happened to me. He caught a deer for me but I didn't feel like myself when I was drinking its blood. It was like I got a taste and couldn't get enough; I couldn't control myself. I fucking growled at him like a dog when he told me to stop. This change is really freaking me out. What if it consumes me and I become something different?"

He looked at me. "I don't know, Zenith. I guess just do what he says and take your training seriously."

"I am! But look at him. Look at what he did to me. You said he had never done anything like that....I don't want to become a monster." 

"It'll be ok. This is a completely new life for you and there will be adjustments and things you're uncertain of. You just have to trust him. Trust me," he said squeezing my shoulder. 

He patted my head like a dog and lifted his mask to kiss my cheek. "Have a good night, Zenith. Eat up or your food will get cold."

"Bye, Ghoul." 

And with that, I was alone again. At least I had the delicious food to keep me company. After the food was gone, I grabbed a romance novel from one of Copia's shelves and read until I was tired and eventually fell asleep. Satan knows I had nothing better to do. 

The Cardinal returned late that evening, long after I was asleep. He sat on the bed and ran his hand along my curves up to my face, then over my hair which was all messy from sleeping on it. He closed the book and put it on the nightstand then let out a big sigh and leaned into me, lightly laying on top of me as he inhaled my scent and kissed my head. 

"Zenith..." he whispered almost inaudible as he rose from the bed, making his way to the couch to go to sleep. Soon he, too, was sound asleep, snoring lightly.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sincerely apologize for neglecting this the past few weeks. Things have been exponentially crazy.  
> Hope you enjoy! The next chapter is already brewing...

For the second night in a row, I woke up in the middle of the night, restless. This time, though, I was very hungry and was driven by a faint scent that woke me from my deep sleep. I was very cold and shivering. 

I wandered around the halls aimlessly, craving blood, looking for something I could kill. The scent I tracked had me salivating. 

I finally found the exit and walked outside, smelling the cool fall air, which triggered me to remember how much I loved that smell when I was alive and how I would often take late night walks by myself around my house. How it felt like an eternity had passed since I lived my previous life...

I began to wander down a long paved path deep into the woods. I was so entranced by the scent that my mind didn't give me time to recall the bad memories I had of this godforsaken place. I then heard two voices nearby with my extremely sensitive hearing. 

There were two people walking together...a young man and woman. Their scents matched the ones I had picked up. My hunger was insatiable. I wondered: why were they out so late at night, and so close to the abbey? In a way, I didn't care. I was fucking starving. 

I followed them from a distance, creeping up closer behind them, remaining inconspicuous until the last second. I pounced from behind a bush, sinking my teeth into the girl's neck before she could properly respond. Her friend screamed as he watched me begin to feed on the girl and then instantly started running.

I was snarling and growling as she screamed and struggled under my grip. My claws were digging into her skin, holding her put. "Stay still, girl, it will be over soon..." I mumbled. 

Then, out of nowhere, Copia appeared and flew past me, setting pursuit of the young man, catching him and quickly granting him the same fate as the girl. I was distracted by Copia only for a brief moment but continued to greedily drink the girl's blood, sighing happily until I was full. 

Their screams soon faded and things were quiet once more. 

When I finished my meal I began to stand to fix my dress when someone slammed into me hard, knocking me off my feet onto the ground. 

"Are you fucking stupid?!" the Cardinal screamed as he held me down. "Jesus Christ, you can't be so fucking wreckless!!! What would have happened if I hadn't come to help you?! What if her friend had gotten away and told someone? We would be in serious danger. All of us. I can't trust you to be on your own until you learn some self control!" he roared. 

I quickly came down from my high as I realized how angry he was. 

"But...Master...you said my cravings would guide me in what I needed to do. I woke up smelling their scents and I followed them." It was hard not to be afraid of this side of him. 

"Yes but with that you need to learn self control! Let's go, we're going back home now."

He carried me back to the abbey over his shoulder and took me to our room. I was crying, hard. It seemed as if I couldn't do anything right, even in death. He set me down and shut the door when we arrived back to our room. I looked at him and exploded. 

"Why did you do all this to me? I obviously am not cut out for this. Please, Cardinal, just leave me the fuck alone!! Fucking sacrifice me or something, because I cannot live like this!!" I cried as I pushed away from him, falling to the floor, leaning against his desk.

"I'm tired of you being so disrespectful to me!" he grumbled. Copia dragged me up off the floor by my hair and sat me on the bed. He cuffed both of my wrists and attached them with long chains to the bedposts as he growled, "I don't know what the fuck else to do with you." 

He left the room abruptly without another word, slamming the door behind him. I buried my face in my hands, and I could feel them shaking. Here I was, chained like a fucking dog, forever his prisoner. I couldn't take it anymore. 

Why did I have to fuck everything up?!

\----------------

When he didn't return immediately, my mind began to worry. How was I going to be punished by Papa Nihil and Sister Imperator for my carelessness? Surely he told them what I had done. 

Did I cause any harm to the church? What if someone witnesed what had happened? The only thing I seemed to have going for me was that it was the middle of the night...but obviously that doesn't stop some people. 

Certainly if Copia cared about me the least bit prior to this, he didn't now. Why did I want him to come back so badly? 

I cried myself to sleep waiting for him to return, awaiting my punishment.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot of information is revealed to Zenith about her fate, and her relationship with Copia changes dramatically

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooray for the sexy smut!!! 😈

I'm not sure how long I slept, but again I had another dream of Copia singing to me. It was strange; this song was much more upbeat than the last. 

In my dream, as he came into the light and I laid my eyes upon him, he was wearing the black suit with the cape that he wore the day he captured me. Truthfully he looked so handsome, for some reason I couldn't take my eyes off him. 

Subconsciously, I walked toward him, reaching out my arms to him. 

He took me by the hands, we locked eyes with each other and then began to dance along with the music. I was never much of a dancer but with him I didn't falter a step. 

He leaned in close to my ear as he sang:

"You'll soon be hearing the chime, close to midnight. If I could turn back the time, I'd make all right," he sang. His voice was angelic.

"It keeps on giving me chills, but I know now, I feel the closer we get to the last vow..."

The more we got into the moment, my awareness of our surroundings faded as I focused on his mismatched eyes. 

"Just wanna be, wanna bewitch you in the moonlight... Just wanna be, wanna bewitch you, one last time in ancient rite..." 

He spun me around and brought me in to kiss me, holding me tightly. I wrapped my arms around his waist, leaning into his chest. Tears escaped my eyes as I wished these dreams would never end. 

I desperately wanted to get to know this version of the Cardinal...he was nothing like the one I dealt with in real life. It was a bit depressing to think that this version of him only existed in my dreams. If I could just bring him back with me when I woke up...maybe I could find happiness with him in this life. I certainly wasn't going anywhere.

He lifted my chin gently and looked deep into my eyes, brushing my hair out of my face. He rested his gloved hand on my cheek as I brought my hand up over it, feeling the warmth from it on my cold skin.

"Why can't it always be like this?" I whispered to him, squeezing him tightly. 

Before I knew it, the dream ended and he had returned to our room. I awoke suddenly when I heard the door creak open. 

He approached me and stood by the bed, running his fingers through my hair gently. 

"Zenith..." he whispered. I looked up at him, sleepily. 

He actually addressed me by my name. Had I been standing I probably would have fallen over. 

I sat up, looking into his eyes.

"Master, I am so sorry. I deserve to be punished. Please do what you want with me..." I said as I bowed my head.

He sat down next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Yes, you do deserve to be punished, but you also deserve an apology. From me."

I looked up at him partly in shock, unable to speak. Was I still dreaming?

"I'm sorry?" Maybe I had heard him wrong. 

"I dragged you into all this and I have not been kind to you...not in the least bit. I have done unspeakable things...I don't know how to explain myself, nor can I justify it. I've just...never felt more drawn to anyone in my life, and I can only plead that I lost control of myself."

I stared at him intently, trying to process what was coming out of his mouth.

"I saw you with that human and I was jealous, and just wanted to make you mine. Blame it on my sexual lust, blood lust...maybe even love? I don't know, but I guess I went crazy. I am so sorry, ghuleh, please forgive me," he, too, bowed his head, sounding truly regretful. It looked like he had a tear or two welling up in his eyes. 

It was just too much for me and I started crying.

"Cardinal, how...how can I possibly forgive you? You murdered my friend, kidnapped me, tied me up, tortured me, brutally raped me and now I've been turned into a vampire. How can I find it in my undead heart to forgive you?! You literally took away everything good in my life in an instant." 

There was a pause. 

"I don't know...ghuleh, I just feel like I can't live without you. I wanted you so badly...I vowed I'd do anything to make that happen. I'm so sorry. I'm willing to do anything to make it up to you."

"But do you truly regret it?" 

He grabbed my hands and squeezed them. "I do now, ghuleh, I'm so sorry...I never should have harmed you."

I stared deep into his eyes and saw...sincerity. I watched as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"Let me give you a life worth living eternally..." he whispered. The Cardinal cupped my face in his gloved hands and I felt the warmth of them against my skin, just like my dream. 

Suddenly everything felt okay and oddly I felt at peace. I grabbed onto his wrists with my chained hands, holding his palms in place up against my cheeks. 

He leaned in to me and kissed me, pushing my weight back slowly until I was lying on my back. He settled on top of me, running both of his hands up through my hair. 

I raised my arms to wrap around his neck and he shivered as the chains settled against his skin. He grabbed my wrists to stop me.

"Wait." 

With that he removed the chains, tossed the cuffs aside and immediately went back to caressing my body. He traced gentle swirls along my neck and squeezed my breasts, which were popping out from my dress from lying this way. I lifted my hips for him as he slid my dress over my head, revealing my wanting naked body underneath.

My sex glistened in the soft light of the room as I found myself extremely wet with desire. My nipples hardened under his touch, and soft moans escaped my lips as he suckled them. 

For the first time, I found my own hands exploring his body. He shed his jacket and shirt and I moaned, running my fingers through his delicious chest hair. 

I saw he had the same tattoo on his shoulder that I had discovered on mine after I was turned. That was proof that we really were connected now. I ran my fingers over its outline and he moaned softly. You could tell the wound was still fresh, like mine was. 

His body was perfect. My hands traveled down to his fly where I unzipped it and let his hard cock spring out, already leaking precum. I swooped my finger over his slit, gathering some of it as I brought it to my lips and sucked on it, tasting him as he watched me. 

"Do you want this, Zenith?" he asked, his voice low and full of desire.

"Yes, Master, I do."  
\------------

I really did want this. For some reason, despite all the hell he'd put me through, I wanted him at this very moment. This. The real Copia. I don't know what brought it on but despite what Ghoul said, Copia did apologize...and I think he meant it. At least I hoped so. 

It was certainly going to take much more than him saying some nice words to make everything okay; he would really have to prove to me that he loved me...but so far, it looked like he was honestly trying. 

I felt like this was another way the change had affected me. Since when was I ever such a sexual person? Especially to this man. I was practically gushing; I could feel my juices roaring out of me like a river.

Deep down, I really wish I knew what had inspired all of this; what finally made him realize his wrongdoing and apologize to me. I just prayed it wouldn't be short-lived. I wondered if my dreams had been trying to tell me something, trying to show me that he did have a good side...I just had to bring it back out of him. 

\----------

I leaned forward and took his large cock in my hand as I began to lick around its head and up and down his length. He growled and moaned and I sucked on his cock, dancing my tongue all around it. I bobbed my head back and forth slightly as he dug his fingers into the back of my neck. I then swirled my tongue over his balls briefly, taking them in my hand and massaging gently as my mouth returned to his cock. I became more aggressive with my sucking as I wanted to please him. 

"Fucckkk...I can't take any more, I need to be inside you, Zenith..." he said through clenched teeth. I pulled my mouth away from him and wiped the saliva from my chin. 

"As you wish, Master," I said as I settled back in the bed and spread my legs wide for him. He steadied his soaked, throbbing cock in one hand to line himself up with me. He thrust himself forward and I screamed in pleasure as his thick cock filled my cunt completely. 

I gripped his hair and thrust my hips forward to quicken the pace and meet his thrusts. He pounded into me hard, and I could feel my orgasm building up inside me. 

As I watched his body move back and forth, it seemed like my bad memories of the Cardinal were fading and were being replaced by the image of this new Copia I was getting to know. 

I shifted forward a bit to lie flat on my back as he lifted my legs over his shoulders, thrusting balls-deep inside me. I screamed even louder.

The room was quiet except for the sounds of slapping skin and moaning. 

"Master, harder, please, I need to come!" I yelled. I gripped his hair tightly and he moaned. 

He swirled his finger around my swollen clit and I screamed his name, writhing under him. I came hard around his cock and my body was shaking. 

He slowed his pace a bit and pulled himself out, ordering me to roll over. He then took me from behind and pounded into me hard until he came deep inside me. I buried my face in the sheets as I screamed. It felt so fucking good. 

He gave me a moment to recover from my mind shattering orgasm. I think he needed a moment for himself, as well. I was lying face down, gripping the sheets and panting. This was so strange to me; I was actually craving more of him. 

He then climbed out of bed and rummaged through a cedar chest sitting near the front of the bed. He pulled out a small amount of rope, a whip and a ball gag. 

"Now that we've had fun...remember you deserve to be punished, ghuleh. You said it yourself. You will cry for absolution."

I honestly didn't know whether to be afraid or excited about what was going to happen. My mind was trying to stay calm. I just hoped he wouldn't hurt me...too much. 

"Sit up," he ordered. I obeyed. 

First he bound my hands in front of me, in a praying position. He moaned at how my arms pushed my large breasts together. Then he ordered me on my knees as he fitted the ball gag into my mouth and buckled it tightly behind my head. 

"Stay right there, don't you move," he growled, shoving me slightly as he pulled something else out of the chest: a black and red leather collar and leash. I moaned at the sight of it. 

He lifted my hair out of the way as he placed the collar around my neck and tightened it. He attached the leash and yanked on it to pull me down, kneeling on the bed, resting on my elbows. 

"Are you sorry for acting like such a greedy bitch? For acting so carelessly as to put our church in danger?!" He cracked my ass with the whip. 

I cried out in pain. "Yes, Master," I attempted to cry through the gag. My words were incoherent. 

"Be a good girl and take your punishment," he said as he delivered blow after blow to my tingling ass. As I started to slouch forward, he pulled back on the leash to keep me resting up on my elbows. My body hurt. 

After quite a while, he finally finished. A strange combination of moaning and crying escaped my throat. My ass cheeks were bleeding from the whip repeatedly biting into them. 

I could feel it in my cunt. I realized I was dripping wet, and I found myself begging him.

"Please...Master, please..."

I didn't know what I was begging for. 

"No, you're being punished, I'm not going to fuck you, but since you were such a good little slut during your beating I will reward you with this..." he said as he dug his claws into my ass. I moaned in anticipation. 

He spread my legs apart and began to devour my cunt with his tongue. He knew just what to do with his tongue, plunging deep inside me as he rubbed my clit with his thumb. It didn't take long before I came in his mouth and squirted all over him, screaming loudly through the gag. He sat up and gently massaged my rear, whispering soft praises into my ear as my body trembled. 

"Now I shall take care of you..." he said softly. He gently unbuckled the ball gag and pulled it from my mouth, then he rolled me onto my back and untied my hands. He unclipped the leash but left the collar snug around my neck. 

I rolled onto my side as it hurt to lie on my backside. He excused himself for a moment and returned with some towels and other supplies. He wiped the blood from my ass and applied a special cream to my skin which tingled a bit. Soon I felt less discomfort as it was numbed. 

He wiped my face and walked me to the restroom to take care of my business. When we returned to the bed, I lie down and he climbed into bed next to me. He had never done this before. Every night prior to this he slept on the couch far from me. 

My emotions overcame me as tears escaped my eyes. I placed my palm on his cheek and leaned in to kiss him deeply. He wrapped his arms around me entirely and held me tightly until I fell asleep with him. 

I felt incredibly content and peaceful. "I love you, Master, thank you," I said quietly as I drifted to sleep. I heard him say, "I love you, too" before everything fell quiet. If this were a dream, I hoped I would never wake up.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think. I really appreciate you reading this far! Thank you for leaving comments and kudos!


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